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Buttigieg Slams Duffy's Road Trip as Corporate Pay-to-Play

5/18/2026

Summary

Story summary

Pete Buttigieg, former Transportation Secretary, criticized Sean Duffy’s “The Great American Road Trip” as exploiting corporate donors.
Duffy’s pitch deck seeks donations of $100,000 to $1 million and is funded by the nonprofit Great American Road Trip Inc.
Toyota and Boeing are among corporate sponsors contributing to the eight-month filming of the show.
Buttigieg called the funding arrangement a corruption issue that reflects a pay-to-play culture in President Donald Trump’s administration.

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Story summary

Pete Buttigieg, former Transportation Secretary, criticized Sean Duffy’s “The Great American Road Trip” as exploiting corporate donors.
Duffy’s pitch deck seeks donations of $100,000 to $1 million and is funded by the nonprofit Great American Road Trip Inc.
Toyota and Boeing are among corporate sponsors contributing to the eight-month filming of the show.
Buttigieg called the funding arrangement a corruption issue that reflects a pay-to-play culture in President Donald Trump’s administration.